About
the Play:
'dentity Crisis has long been a favourite of acting teachers for Female Monologues.
The Nature and Purpose of the Universe has long been a favourite of acting teachers for Female Monologues.
Three Short Plays is a collection of three one-act plays by
Christopher Durang. Three of his most popular one acts, these
crackpot comedies turn family upside down in a way that only
Christopher Durang can. Written during his years at Yale
University, his characters' cries of anguish in a world too
self-absorbed to listen or, quite frankly, to care, established the
playwright's voice and style found in many of his later, more
developed plays.
The Nature and Purpose of the Universe. Centres on a week
in the beleaguered life of Eleanor Mann, a miserably unhappy
housewife and mother in New Jersey. Her three sons are enormous disappointments, and
her husband is a religious fanatic. The family becomes embroiled in a plot to
assassinate the Pope, who is coming to New Jersey to bless the air,
and with the help of a radical black nun succeeds in its purpose –
with unexpectedly hilarious results. (First produced in 1975 at the
Direct Theatre in New York City; Cast: 2 female, 7 male)
What people say:
"...a marvelous blend of
outrageous parody and black humor." — BackStage
"One of the year's 10 best."
— Soho Weekly News
Death Comes to Us All Mary Agnes. The scene is a decaying
mansion occupied by a family beset by all manner of problems:
conceit, hatred, selfishness, incest and cruelty – all dealt with
in an ironic, highly theatrical manner which offers rare acting
opportunities for the performers involved. Throughout, and despite
the horrors encountered, all exude a kind of bland innocence which,
oddly enough, seems to excuse their otherwise inexcusable behaviour –
and underscores the biting irony of what takes place. (First produced
in 1975 at the Experimental Theatre at the Yale School of Drama in
New Haven, Connecticut; Cast: 6 female, 6 male)
What people say:
"...brilliant, alternately
funny, sick, and ultimately very sad." — Yale
Graduate Professional
"...a blend of grotesque
visions and originality that both shocks and entertains." —
Yale Daily News
'dentity Crisis How do you prove to the world you're sane
when everyone around you is crazy? Sanity and identity are put to the
test in this insane comedy! Edith Fromage can barely keep up with all
of the men in her life – her repressed husband Arthur, her Oedipal
son Dwayne, her senile father, and her amorous French benefactor the
Count de Rochelay – all four played by her son Robert who has
multiple personality disorder. Meanwhile, daughter Jane is doing her
best to stay sane… A fast and hilarious ride through a crazy
funhouse. You are either be relieved you aren't in the Fromage family
or wish you could join the party. (First produced in 1978 at the Yale
Repertory Theatre in New Haven, Connecticut; Cast: 3 female, 2 male)
What people say:
"...irreverent mixture of
parody, satire, theater jokes, and nonsense." — New
Haven Register
"Durang's writing is short and
sharp moments of wit and hilarity." — Variety
About the Playwright:
Christopher Durang (1949-2024) was an award-winning
American playwright and actor. One of the most popular playwrights of
the 20th century, his plays have been produced on and off-Broadway,
in regional theatres around the US and abroad. He received a B.A. in
English from Harvard College and an M.F.A. in playwriting from Yale
School of Drama. He was the co-chair of the Playwriting Program at the
Juilliard School in Manhattan from its inception in 1994 to 2016.